Buddleia plant named ‘SMNBDB’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Buddleia plant named ‘SMNBDB’, characterized by its compact, upright and outwardly spreading plant habit; vigorous growth habit; freely branching habit; dense and bushy appearance; leathery and durable leaves; freely flowering habit; large and dense conical inflorescences with numerous strong reddish purple-colored flowers; and good garden performance and winter hardiness.

Botanical designation: Buddleia davidii.

Cultivar denomination: ‘SMNBDB’.

STATEMENT REGARDING PRIOR DISCLOSURES BY INVENTOR/APPLICANT & ASSIGNEE

The Inventor/Applicant and Assignee assert that no publications noradvertisements relating to sales, offers for sale or public distributionoccurred more than one year prior to the effective filing date of thisapplication. Any information about the claimed plant would have beenobtained from a direct or indirect disclosure from theInventor/Applicant and/or the Assignee. Inventor/Applicant and Assigneeclaim a prior art exemption under 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(1) for disclosureand/or sales prior to the filing date but less than one year prior tothe effective filing date.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct Buddleia plant,botanically known as Buddleia davidii and hereinafter referred to by thename ‘SMNBDB’.

The new Buddleia plant is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventor in Grand Haven, Mich. The objective of thebreeding program was to create new Buddleia plants with strong branchesand attractive plant form and flower coloration.

The new Buddleia plant originated from a cross-pollination conducted bythe Inventor in June, 2015 in Grand Haven, Mich. of Buddleja hybrida‘Miss Molly’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 23,425, as the female, orseed, parent with Buddleia davidii ‘SMNBDPT’, disclosed in U.S. PlantPat. No. 28,836, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Buddleia plantwas discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plantwithin the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlledenvironment in Grand Haven, Mich. during the summer of 2017.

Asexual reproduction of the new Buddleia plant by softwood stem cuttingsin a controlled environment in Grand Haven, Mich. since the summer of2017 has shown that the unique features of this new Buddleia plant arestable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Buddleia have not been observed under all possiblecombinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. Thephenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditionssuch as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variancein genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘SMNBDB’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘SMNBDB’ as a new and distinct Buddleia plant:

-   -   1. Compact, upright and outwardly spreading plant habit.    -   2. Vigorous growth habit.    -   3. Freely branching habit; dense and bushy appearance.    -   4. Leathery and durable leaves.    -   5. Freely flowering habit.    -   6. Large and dense conical inflorescences with numerous strong        reddish purple-colored flowers.    -   7. Good garden performance and winter hardiness.

Plants of the new Buddleia differ primarily from plants of the femaleparent, ‘Miss Molly’, in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Buddleia are more compact than plants of        ‘Miss Molly’.    -   2. Plants of the new Buddleia have larger inflorescences than        plants of ‘Miss Molly’.    -   3. Plants of the new Buddleia and ‘Miss Molly’ differ in flower        color as plants of the Buddleia have strong reddish        purple-colored flowers whereas plants of ‘Miss Molly’ have        purplish red-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Buddleia differ primarily from plants of the maleparent, ‘SMNBDPT’, in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Buddleia have larger inflorescences than        plants of ‘SMNBDPT’.    -   2. Plants of the new Buddleia and ‘SMNBDPT’ differ in flower        color as plants of the Buddleia have strong reddish        purple-colored flowers whereas plants of ‘SMNBDPT’ have light        purple-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Buddleia can also be compared to plants of Buddleiadavidii ‘SMNBDO’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 28,796. Inside-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Buddleia differ primarilyfrom plants of ‘SMNBDO’ in inflorescence size as plants of the newBuddleia have larger inflorescences than plants of ‘SMNBDO’. Inaddition, flower of plants of the new Buddleia are more pink in colorthan and not as purple in color as flowers of plants of ‘SMNBDO’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new Buddleia plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Buddleia plant.

The photograph on the first sheet (FIG. 1) is a side perspective view ofa typical flowering plant of ‘SMNBDB’ grown in an outdoor nursery.

The photograph on the second sheet (FIG. 2) is a close-up view of atypical inflorescence and leaves of a plant of ‘SMNBDB’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The following observations, measurements and values describe plantsgrown during the mid to late summer in three-gallon containers in apolyethylene-covered greenhouses in Grand Haven, Mich. and undercultural practices typical of commercial Buddleia production. Plantswere two years old when the photographs and description were taken.During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 18° C.to 27° C. and night temperatures ranged from 5° C. to 10° C. In thefollowing description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart, 2015 Edition, except where generalterms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Buddleia davidii ‘SMNBDB’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Buddleja hybrida ‘Miss Molly’,            disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 23,425.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Buddleia davidii ‘SMNBDPT’,            disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 28,836.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By softwood stein cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots plant, summer.—About two weeks at            temperatures about 25° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted plant, summer.—About 40 days at            temperatures about 25° C.        -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; typically tan in color,            actual color of the roots is dependent on substrate            composition, water quality, fertilizer, substrate            temperature and physiological age of roots.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Deciduous perennial shrub; compact,            upright and outwardly spreading plant habit; rounded            appearance; relatively short internodes; dense and bushy            appearance; vigorous growth habit and moderate growth rate.        -   Plant height.—About 48 cm.        -   Plant width (spread).—About 78 cm.        -   Lateral branches.—Quantity: Freely branching habit with            about six to ten primary lateral branches developing per            plant. Length: About 43 cm. Diameter: About 8 mm. Internode            length: About 3 cm. Strength: Strong. Aspect: Upright to            about 45° from vertical. Texture: Initially, pubescent, then            becoming glabrous and woody with development. Color,            developing: Close to 146D. Color, woody: Close to 195B.-   Leaf description:    -   -   Arrangement and appearance.—Opposite, simple.        -   Length.—About 13.5 cm.        -   Width.—About 4 cm.        -   Shape.—Lanceolate.        -   Apex.—Acute to acuminate.        -   Base.—Cuneate.        -   Margin.—Slightly serrate.        -   Texture, upper surface.—Developing leaves are pubescent;            with development, smooth, glabrous, coriaceous.        -   Texture, lower surface.—Pubescent, venation prominent;            coriaceous.        -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.        -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 143A.            Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 194C. Fully            expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 147A; venation,            close to N144A. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close            to 194C; venation, close to 193A.        -   Petioles.—Length: About 7 mm. Diameter: About 3 mm. Texture,            upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent. Color, upper surface:            Close to 146C. Color, lower surface: Close to 147D.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower type and flowering habit.—Single salverform flowers            arranged on terminal panicles; inflorescences face mostly            outwardly; panicles long and conical in shape; freely            flowering habit with more than 100 flowers developing per            inflorescence and more than 1,000 flowers developing per            plant during the flowering season; flowers face upright to            outwardly depending on position on the panicle; flowers            persistent.        -   Fragrance.—Fragrant; sweet, honey-like, pleasant.        -   Natural flowering season.—Long flowering period, plants            flower continuously from mid-summer into the early autumn in            Michigan.        -   Flower buds.—Height: About 1 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm.            Shape: Lanceolate. Color: Proximally, close to 70B and            distally, close to 70A.        -   Inflorescence length.—About 12 cm.        -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 4 cm.        -   Flower diameter.—About 5 mm.        -   Flower depth (height).—About 8 mm to 10 mm.        -   Throat diameter.—About 1 mm.        -   Tube length.—About 6 mm.        -   Tube diameter, proximally.—About 1 mm.        -   Petals.—Quantity per flower: Typically four in a single            whorl fused at the base. Length: About 3 mm. Width: About            4 mm. Shape: Oblong to obovate. Apex: Obtuse. Margin:            Entire; slightly undulate. Texture, upper and lower            surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; soft. Color: Developing petals,            upper and lower surfaces: Close to N78B. Fully developed            petals, upper and lower surfaces: Close to N78B; color            becoming closer to 86A with development. Throat: Close to            15A. Tube: Close to 64B.        -   Sepals.—Quantity per flower: Typically four in a single            whorl. Length: About 1 mm. Width: Less than 1 mm. Shape:            Lanceolate to ovate. Apex: Acute. Base: Cuneate. Margin:            Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Slightly            pubescent. Color, upper surface: Proximally, close to 145C            and distally, close to 143A. Color, lower surface: Close to            145B.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 7 mm. Diameter: About 1 mm.            Strength: Strong. Angle: Upright to outwardly; about 15° to            80° from vertical. Texture: Pubescent. Color: Close to 144B.        -   Pedicels.—Length: About 2 mm. Diameter: About 1 mm.            Strength: Strong. Angle: About 45° from vertical. Texture:            Pubescent. Color: Close to 144B.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Typically            four. Filament length: About 0.5 mm. Filament color: Close            to 26A. Anther length: About 1 mm. Anther shape: Oblong.            Anther color: Close to 155B. Pollen amount: Scarce. Pollen            color: Close to 11C. Pistils: Quantity per flower: One.            Pistil length: About 1 mm. Stigma shape: Oblong. Stigma            color: Close to 144B.        -   Seeds and fruits.—To date, seed and fruit development have            not been observed on plants of the new Buddleia.-   Pathogen & pest resistance: To date, plants of the new Buddleia have    not been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to    Buddleia plants.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Buddleia have been observed to    have good garden performance and tolerate rain, wind and to tolerate    temperatures ranging from about −31° C. to about 38° C.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Buddleia plant named ‘SMNBDB’ asillustrated and described.